Problems with Hood

[HPinniger]

I've been trying to hood my female harris recently but with no success. She is two and never been hooded, she isn't keen to be hooded and does not help. Also the hood I bought was a farly cheap hood from e bay and I'm not sure if fits her very well as when I do get it over her head it seems tight even when it is a loose at the back as possible. I was thinking about going to Ben Long to get a better/ larger one will this help, any ideas??

[GoodFooter]

you need a hood that fits and it is better to have one slightly large than too small.....damp patches on the leather where the eyes are shows it to be too small for sure. Measure across the head directly behind the eyes and give this measurement to a good hood maker.....she will probably be a size 8 on a rollins blocked hood. maybe 9?

this thread may help...

http://www.falconryforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=19250&highlight=late+stage+hooding

[FalconGriff]

You need a hood that is JUST to large. The other thing is not being rude but are you used to hooding? You are attempting something that is hard an old bird that is not frightened of you and you are trying to "cram" a hood on her that she doesn't want to wear! its a recipe for failure!! If you have a mate that has a falcon that is "made" to the hood see if you can borrow it while he shows you how to roll a hood onto the bird. Once you can do it its like ridding a bike you never forget.

[Jack]

A Rollin's #8 is slightly loose on my male Harris. It will come off with a small effort and he can see at times from the beak opening. I normally use a #7 that I made myself. It fits perfectly. I have reshaped all my blocks so that I have excess room over the eyes. I also work the leather around the beak and cere. I have seen a lot of perfect fits, but have never seen one that could not use a bit of tweaking.
When hooding a hawk that has never been hooded or one that just resents it, I will not try to roll the hood on. This allows you to get careless. You do not want to roll up feathers under the chin and you want it all the way over the head before bracing.
I like to just hold the hood up to my birds breast area and let them do what they will. Bate, turn away, whatever. I do this until they stop. Usually takes a while. Once they stop the silly stuff I will just ease it up under the chin and give it a slow and gentle roll over the head. This seldom works the first several times. Anyway, never get flustered and never show impatience. And never let the hawk win out over you. Just continue to do this over and over and eventually the hawk is going to become less and less resistant until you roll the hood on. I would go ahead and brace it and leave it on for an hour or so. When you come off with it, I would wait a few minutes and then reward the bird with a tidbit. Wait a while, then start again. I have worn them down to where I could hood the hawk at most any time.
Sometimes, and most times, the hawk will shrug it's shoulders up and head down so that you can not slide the hood on down into place. I will try the dropping hand trick and if that don't work I will simply place a finger against the top knot and gently shove against it. Only slightly and very gently. The hawk will sort of lean in against it to keep balance and thus the head will most times just slide right on in.
I also recommend you stop playing with that undersized hood before you make her fearful of it. Just want until you have a proper hood before you start again.

Jack

[K.K]

A Rollin's #8 is slightly loose on my male Harris. It will come off with a small effort and he can see at times from the beak opening. I normally use a #7 that I made myself. It fits perfectly. I have reshaped all my blocks so that I have excess room over the eyes. I also work the leather around the beak and cere. I have seen a lot of perfect fits, but have never seen one that could not use a bit of tweaking.
When hooding a hawk that has never been hooded or one that just resents it, I will not try to roll the hood on. This allows you to get careless. You do not want to roll up feathers under the chin and you want it all the way over the head before bracing.
I like to just hold the hood up to my birds breast area and let them do what they will. Bate, turn away, whatever. I do this until they stop. Usually takes a while. Once they stop the silly stuff I will just ease it up under the chin and give it a slow and gentle roll over the head. This seldom works the first several times. Anyway, never get flustered and never show impatience. And never let the hawk win out over you. Just continue to do this over and over and eventually the hawk is going to become less and less resistant until you roll the hood on. I would go ahead and brace it and leave it on for an hour or so. When you come off with it, I would wait a few minutes and then reward the bird with a tidbit. Wait a while, then start again. I have worn them down to where I could hood the hawk at most any time.
Sometimes, and most times, the hawk will shrug it's shoulders up and head down so that you can not slide the hood on down into place. I will try the dropping hand trick and if that don't work I will simply place a finger against the top knot and gently shove against it. Only slightly and very gently. The hawk will sort of lean in against it to keep balance and thus the head will most times just slide right on in.
I also recommend you stop playing with that undersized hood before you make her fearful of it. Just want until you have a proper hood before you start again.

Jack

Good one.

[HPinniger]

Thanks, will get a larger hood and try again

[Grovsey]

moral to this story dont buy cheap rubbish of ebay as you get waht you pay for .hoods for £6 says it all on there .there is some good quality hoods on there but will cost you more
ian

[Jiff]

i get my hoods from ben long, give him the species and flying height, i havnt had a hood that don't fit my female harris' hawk perfectly, i'm on my third thanks to my completely backward brittany eating them!:lol: as for hood training pacience is needed, if you try to force the issue you will only breed contempt for the hood, let the bird have a good look at it, stroke the bird on the chest with it, place small morsels of food inside and let the bird take them out when the bird becomes comfortable in the presence of the hood, at an opertune moment try and slip it on, if you get it on don't leave it on too long, seconds litteraly, and take it off, continue like this untill you can slip it on and take it off without much trouble, then start leaving it on a bit longer each time, when the bird accepts being hooded then you can close the hood, close it open it and remove it, you carry on this routine till the bird is quite comfortable with it, then you leave it on for extended periods and bobs youre mothers brother!:yawinkle: